Off with your head
by liarfaker
Summary: Somebody is decapitating people in Mystic Falls. Klaus, Kol, and Caroline decide to solve the mystery... You better watch your heads.
1. Where's your head at?

**A/N: **This is my new original baby and I plan to deal with it in more or less 5 parts. I hope I will surprise you in later chapters (you know, evil minds never sleep!). I'm waiting for your opinions, comments and... suggestions? Why not!

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><p><strong>OFF WITH YOUR HEAD<strong>

**Chapter 1**

**Where's your head at?**

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><p>"Caroline," Klaus whined, "I'm asking you again. Let's go out for a drink."<p>

_It's third time this week_, Caroline thought. She almost felt sorry for him. Almost, because she actually didn't feel anything for him.

Nope.

They were standing on her porch, because she didn't let Klaus in this time.

"How many times-" She started huffily, shaking her head, but Klaus cut in.

"It's not a date. It's..." He cleared his throat and tried to came up with a credible excuse.

Caroline raised both eyebrows, waiting to be enlightened.

"It's an ice-breaking party!" He seemed to be so proud of the idea.

"For two?" Caroline blinked twice, obviously amused.

"Why not?" He kept on smiling, but not sure when she was going to get him down and stab him with a malicious answer.

She took a deep breath.

Surprisingly, the killing blow never came.

"This evening, at the Grill, at 7 o'clock. Don't hope for too much, though." She threatened him with a finger.

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><p>It was a nice Saturday in Mystic Falls.<p>

Although it seemed to be a peaceful, little paradise for young couples, this small town had stolen more lives than any other place in Virginia. After all this time, a dead body in the woods should be perceived as another case to label as 'animal attack'. And it would be, but something was a little bit off about this death.

"What do you mean _headless_?" Caroline gasped at her mother's words as she sat in the kitchen after fobbing Klaus off. The day had been so good so far. She had been feeling prettier than usual thanks to a new turquoise dress she bought on sale. She felt smarter than usual thanks to Klaus' attention and her sarcastic retorts she invented to bring him down a peg or two.

"A decapitated body has been found in the woods this morning." Liz Forbes had never looked so anxious. And thanks to being the Mystic Falls sheriff she'd had many, _many_ occasions to worry.

"A vampire's work?" The young Forbes asked warily. Her mother shook her head.

"No conclusive evidence yet." She countered.

"So who's dead this time?" Caroline sighed.

"A schoolgirl, Amanda… Reynolds, yes."

"I didn't know her."

She couldn't believe how easy it was to get used to death in Mystic Falls. Even after her father's death she didn't grieve much. The memory had stayed, of course, but she waved the grief aside after a short period of time, and moved on.

Every one of her friends had lost their loved ones. Elena was no longer mourning her parents or Jenna, Matt had let Vicky go, Bonnie moved on after her Gran's death, and Tyler didn't speak about his father or Mason anymore.

_Are we all losing our humanity here?_

She snapped back to reality as she heard her mother taking the keys and leaving the house.

_Was she going to lose her mother one day, too?_

* * *

><p>Klaus was waiting for Caroline by a small table at the Grill. He decided not to dress up too much. A black leather jacket with a gray long-sleeve cotton shirt and matching grey trousers should be enough casual, but still Klaus' villainy-camouflage style.<p>

Not that it mattered so much because he knew he had to win her over with his smarts and sense of humor.

And his charismatic personality, of course.

Somehow it had stayed hidden when he had been around her, but never mind! He was going to charm her, he'd sweep her off her feet with his... Klaus-ness.

She entered the Grill with an air of insecurity enveloping her.

_Was she going to surrender to him already?_ He wondered.

She almost didn't notice him as she kept thinking about something Klaus' was soon to hear.

"Caroline," he called after her.

"Oh, you're here." She stated like they'd met by a pure coincidence.

"And I'm ready to break some ice" He ventured.

She didn't seem to get the joke this time.

"OK." She sat down and stared at him blankly.

"Caroline," Klaus said, "is everything alright?" He was actually worried about her.

"How could you just move on?" She asked, her eyes observing his every move and expression.

"What do you mean?" He frowned, not knowing what to say not to upset her moody self.

"How could you just forget about the loved ones that are gone?" She clarified.

"I don't have to think about it. My siblings are still alive." He shrugged.

"What about your mother? And father? Didn't you feel any sorrow after his death?"

"Maybe. I regretted not having killed him earlier."

Ominous clouds of doom and gloom came upon them and he knew their honey-bunny time was up.

"What's wrong with you?" Caroline raised her voice, drawing attention from the people around them.

_And what's wrong with me?_

"Did you come here to kick up a row over nothing?" Klaus was irritated and disappointed.

He had hoped for a nice little chat.

A long chat, maybe.

A few drinks, hopefully.

A romantic walk home, perhaps.

A kiss... not really, but you never know.

And here she was, attacking him without any good reason. _Women_. He thought he knew now what killed off the dinosaurs.

"Nothing? What about the people in Mystic Falls then?" She pressed.

"What about them?" Klaus felt cornered.

"That's what _I _am asking _you."_ She pouted. "People are getting killed by a murderer on the loose, and what is the most powerful person in the town doing? Not. A. Thing."

She was getting more and more frustrated. At what, he didn't know and was sure she didn't know either. _A neurotic control freak on crack, that's what she is!_

Klaus opened his mouth to say something but noticed Kol who was playing pool at the other side of the bar. If he hadn't known his brother well, he'd thought that Kol was following them and eavesdropping.

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><p>Kol made use of all his vampire senses to make out what the pair at the table was talking about. He wasn't spying on them, oh no.<p>

He was... checking up on his dear brother.

Klaus had seemed so off lately that Kol began to wonder if the hybrid wasn't on drugs. But it turned out that the destructive drug Klaus was addicted to happened to be the (most probably mentally unsteady) blonde baby vampire.

"How fucking cute." Kold muttered to himself while pointing with the stick at a black ball.

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><p>After a while Kol saw that the blonde just stood up and left Klaus behind. They must have had a fight. Both were fuming with rage.<p>

"Problems in paradise, brother?" Kol almost danced to the table and sent Klaus the most fake smile he could manage.

"Shut up, Kol, or I'll tear out you liver." He spat.

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><p>Caroline stormed out of the Grill and run towards the woods. What a heartless... Man! She was seething.<p>

She crossed the road and all the hustle-and-bustle faded away. When she was out of earshot, Caroline slowed the pace a little and tried to enjoy the summer breeze. The woods calmed her mind. Leaves were swinging on trees along to the inaudible music played by the light wind.

She loved this comforting quietness of the woods.

No city buzz, no noise, no uproar.

The silence didn't last long, though.

A high-pitched, blood curdling scream shot through the woods.

Caroline's head turned in the direction of the terror and the vampire sped there.

But it was too late.

A headless female corpse was laying by a tree, covered in blood.

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><p>"Did you know," Kol poked Klaus in the arm, "that there's a new killer out there?"<p>

They were sprawled on the sofas in their living room. The soft, expensive curtains were closed, and the fireplace next to Klaus' couch was the only source of light there. Talk about gloom.

"So?" His brother grumbled and focused back on the sketch he was drawing. His temples were covered with charcoal smudges that were reaching right under his eyes as well, which looked totally grotesque when light from the fire was cast upon his face. A grim, sulky, and twisted Klaus-panda.

"So maybe the town needs a new hero?" Kol wiggled his eyebrows.

"And let me guess. The new Mystic Falls Superman is going to be… Kol Mikaelson?" Klaus couldn't keep the comment to himself.

"The one and only." Kol stuck his tongue at Klaus. Then shrugged. "Maybe."

"Then please reveal this secret to me, brother, where does this generosity of spirit and altruism come from?"

The hybrid was genuinely curious. Also, he imagined Kol in the Superman's costume, with red underwear over navy blue tights. He snickered inwardly. And the cape!

"It's so simple you wouldn't even think about it. I just haven't got laid for... a bit. The town is on vervain 24/7 so compulsion doesn't work. " The soon-to-be hero coughed significantly. "And you know what they say. The winner takes it _all."_ He winked and smiled suggestively, then left the living room.

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><p>Klaus was staring at the fireplace, fire dancing playfully around the wood, devouring it.<p>

Maybe he himself could do something for the town community?

Clearly not for the sake of redemption_ (well, if getting into certain girl's pants is one, then surely he wants to redeem himself, over and over again...)_, but as long as he wins, his reasons don't matter, right?


	2. Heads will roll

**A/N: **Thak you _soooooooooooooo_ much for the subscriptions and reviews. They mean a lot to the poor writer's heart!

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

**Heads will roll**

Caroline was going out of her mind. She didn't go too far, though.

Everything seemed so sick. Sick, sick, sick.

Vision of that mutilated body had been tormenting her all night.

Headless.

5.42 am.

She couldn't sleep that night.

You'd think that nothing could fill a vampire with utter revulsion. Yet Caroline felt nauseous.

Her room was eerily silent. She felt like looking under her bed to make sure there was no monster hidden there. She would probably give him a tight hug, though, choking him to death that way. Being a creature of the night doesn't make you fearless and she obviously needed somebody, _anybody_, to be by her side.

The sun began to rise and Caroline nursed a hope that her nightmares would pass along with the darkness of the night. She hated night-time. She always belonged to sunlight, that's why Klaus once said something about her being full of light.

She never needed darkness to feel strong. Her strength was defined by the exact opposite.

However, since the accident in the woods, she felt absolutely helpless for the first time in her life.

And it severely depressed her.

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><p>Kol knocked gently at Caroline's door.<p>

No answer.

It was Sunday, damn it, she must be at home.

It was Sunday, it was 8 o'clock in the bloody Sunday morning!

He had a point there, the morning turned out as bloody one, indeed. The police was investigating the circumstances of yesterday victim's death. Kaitlyn Jones. Another regular schoolgirl, another pointless shed of blood.

Knock, knock.

Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock.

_Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, kno-!_

"What the hell!" He heard a familiar voice and saw a familiar blonde vampire coming up to the door. She seemed as glad at the sight of Kol as a condemned man would be at the sight of gallows. _Not_ entirely _delighted_. But still looking sexy with messy hair and in that blue nightgown, he made a mental note to himself.

"Good morning, Caroline," he started diplomatically but she didn't let him finish the sentence.

"I don't remember when my last good morning was, so cut the crap and say what you want from me." She crossed her arms and waited. Don't look at her chest. Don't look at her bo-

"I have a few questions for you." He tried to stay calm and neutral. He really tried.

"The answers are: yes, no, yes, yes, no. Maybe." She gave him sour smile. "Bye." And with those words she shut the door right in Kol's face.

Who said that superhero's work would be easy?

But wait a minute, Kol thought, nobody said it meant to struggle with neurotic, oversensitive barbies either.

Caroline sat at the side of her bed and could hardly contain the tears.

She needed somebody's help, not additional pain in the ass.

Then she jumped when something hit her window. She looked out carefully.

Kol.

"I just want to ask if you knew the victim."

What a nerve!

"No."

"But maybe you know something about the girl? Like, who killed her, for example." He wasn't exactly a master of delicacy.

"Go play in traffic, Kol." She said, her patience running out like water through a hole. Prepare for the flood. Three, two, one...

"What?" Kol didn't understand her and tilted his head to the side like a confused dog.

"Get. Lost." She hissed through the clenched teeth.

When he trudged away she went back to wondering about the murder. She had killed people, too. But never like this. Never intentionally. Never in such a cruel way. Only a heartless person could do something like that. She set her mind on finding out who the killer was.

She roused from a daze.

She knew only few people in Mystic Falls who might enjoy killing to that detestable degree.

All of them were related. All of them were _Mikaelsons_.

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><p>Klaus and his villainy demeanor were swaying around the crime scene at the edge of woods. Maybe there was something that the police missed; without excellent vampire sight and hearing it was highly probable. He crouched down and took a deep sniff of the air.<p>

Blood, a lot of blood.

But there was something more about the scent he picked up. He'd never smelled something like this.

The smell was... dead. It reeked of decay.

Well, it seemed logical, a girl was beheaded there after all, but it wasn't her scent. It was her attacker. Whoever it was, he or she was dead. Or you'd rather say, _deadly_ dead. Vampires don't stink like this.

Klaus unbuttoned his black jacket and slipped both hands in the front pockets of his navy blue jeans. The smell of blood still affected him. His eyes became slightly more prominent, more sharp, deeper, and his lips reddened a little.

He'd better be going.

He turned on his wheel, ready to head home when he collided with something thin and frail. He instinctively pushed forward, but the obstacle didn't move. He looked down and saw Caroline.

_What was she doing here?_

"What are you doing here?" She glared at him. Was he trying to hamper her investigation?

"I could ask you the same." He stood up to her glare.

He would _not_ go down without a fight.

He would _not_ let himself soften around her anymore.

He was the one _controlling_ things.

He had power over her.

He gulped.

Caroline had her reason to suspect him. It was basically because he was himself.

But on the other hand, Klaus could suspect _her_. She was acting weird lately, and she had found the last victim's body. And now she came to the crime scene.

Klaus eyed her up and down. She was such a bright person, in general. Nevertheless, she still was a vampire and all vampires have their dark sides. You might be a textbook case of denial like her, but a vampire never changes his fangs. Or something like that.

Silence fell between them and stayed there for a rather long moment.

What if she really was the murderer? Klaus pondered. Should he continue saving the town or leave the milk spilt as it was?

"Nevermind." He said and turned to leave.

"Wait! What do you think you're doing?" She spat. "You owe me an explanation."

"And you owe me your life." Hah, that was clever, he thought triumphantly, but didn't let it show in any way. She was speechless.

"I could help you, Caroline." Klaus said gently .

She snarled.

"Hello? Where have you been all last year? In case you don't remember, I'll refresh your memory: you're my enemy. Or maybe it was your evil twin brother?" She threw him a challenging glare.

"I don't owe you anything, and especially not my life. You're in the honorable circle of people who ruined it." She pointed a finger at him like mad teacher points at naughty pupil.

"And if you had something to do with this sick beheading game, I'll know. And I'll make you pay." It was her brave parting shot.

He stood there, shaking with anger.

She was thinking that Klaus was that psychotic murderer roaming the streets?

Was she nuts?

Ok, it's better to pass this particular question over in silence.

Anyway, it finally dawned on him: _no more Mr. Nice Guy_.

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><p>Kol loved the moments like this. His brother came home burning with pure rage.<p>

Klaus slammed the front door so hard that they danced on their hinges.

He kicked a wall and then hit it with his right fist. A picture of plump renaissance woman fell to the floor like a dead body.

Kol was observing him from a comfortable armchair in front of big TV screen. _What the hell was wrong with MTV? How could you date somebody's mother?_ He cringed. The first image that came to his mind was that of Caroline's mother going with him on a date. She'd probably shoot him straight in the face. _Twice_, to be sure he was hurt.

While Kol was wondering about pointlessness of dating somebody's mother, Klaus was breaking chairs in the living room a few meters away from his philosophizing brother.

After breaking the last chair, he sat on the floor and looked up to Kol.

"How's your investigation going?" He panted.

"I have it almost solved." Kol lied. He didn't even know who to suspect.

"Any suspects?" Klaus read Kol's thoughts.

"A few, yes." He tried to keep it cool.

"Any vampires? Or werewolves?"

"In Chicago I have seen murders without benefit of vampires or werewolves, you know."

"But it's Mystic Falls, brother. We are far away from Chicago and analogically, the things are far from normal here."

"Are you suggesting something?"

"If you have it all _almost_ figured out, I wouldn't even dream of solving your puzzle for you." Klaus smiled slyly.

As he presumed, Kol was lost like a kid in a fog.

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><p>The Original hybrid was treading carefully among the branches. He decided to go on a night patrol. He smirked to himself when he imagined himself as that funny blonde vampire slayer from a TV series that was always patrolling cemeteries in search of bad tough vampire to kill with her superhuman strength.<p>

During his long existence he had met once or twice girls that called themselves 'vampire slayers'. It had been always a very funny and entertaining experience. Especially in the(ir) end.

A loud crack interrupted his sentimental journey.

Something, or somebody, was hiding in the darkness. He stopped immediately and listened intently to the surroundings.

No heartbeat, no breathing.

A vampire.

A little bit more to the left... Behind him... About five meters or so...

Klaus turned out, his eyes flaring.

One second.

He jumped like a wild beast he was, knocking the suspicious character to the ground.

The hooded spy was sprawled on the grass and Klaus was on top, straddling him, keeping his shoulders down firmly.

Then he noticed... Breasts? He cocked an eyebrow.

He took the black hood off the spy's head.

"Caroline?" He gasped.

"Get. Off. Me."

And like an unpredictable person she was, Caroline went ballistic on him. Literally. She took advantage of his confusion and threw him off, his body hitting hard a nearby trunk. She attacked him with all the strength she had, which of course turned out not enough to beat him. Right, like she even could stand a chance! He thought and launched an offensive again.

They landed on the ground, rolled around a few times, then assumed old, well-tried position where the stronger (Klaus) pins the weaker one's (Caroline's) back to a tree.

She was well aware of his body right now as it was crushing hers against the wood. His face moved closer to hers and if somebody was secretly watching them, he or she would think the two vampires are just making out in the bosom of nature.

Klaus felt the tension building up in the place where it shouldn't.

Caroline felt her stomach flutter and her mouth went dry.

That awkward moment when you're so close it's impossible to breathe (theoretically).

That awkward moment when you start to tremble under somebody's close proximity.

That awkward moment when you're captivated in his eyes.

That awkward moment when you're feeling hots for your enemy.

That awkward moment when you both are leaning closer and your lips almost touch.

And that terrifying moment when you hear police sirens echoing through the woods and you snap back to reality.


	3. Head over heels

**A/N: **Again, thanks for the reviews! I'd love to hear more of your opinions, good or bad, I'll take it! 3

This chapter is shorter, but it serves a certain purpose.

Disclaimer: I do not own the lyrics used in this chapter.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

**Head over heels**

There was a lot of people at the funeral. Most of them were other teachers and some teenagers. She was a high school French teacher, in her forties, always kind and lenient with her lazy teenage students. Caroline had never learned French but came anyway, because all she knew from tv crime shows was that the murderer often comes to the funeral of his victim. She tried not to look too much dramatic in her big, black sunglasses. The autumn usually doesn't require them, but that morning the sun was shining more than normally.

She looked around to scan the crowd. Some familiar faces from school, Alaric _(she waved him discreetly)_, some more faces she didn't recognize, Kol, Klaus, three guys from a football team...

Hold on a second.

_Kol? Klaus?_

She frowned. Why does she have to meet them in every place she goes? More importantly, why do they appear always near the crime scene? She sent them an inquiring look from behind her Jackie-Kennedy-like glasses and decided to keep an eye on the two intrusive vampires.

"What is she doing here?" Kol whispered to Klaus as a woman in front of them sniffled tearfully.

"Who?"

"Miss California!" The younger one spat. "Caroline Forbes, of course."

"I thought that woman was her teacher."

"Really? She and French?" Kol cackled. "Please, Klaus, don't make me laugh at a funeral."

"Since when do you care?" Klaus raised an eyebrow.

"I'm a nice guy now." Kol's eyes were focused firmly on a blonde girl with big sunglasses.

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><p>Kol tried to look like a normal teenager. He decided to put on a pair of dark jeans and a brown hoodie, not his favourite set of clothes, but he needed to operate undercover. With a small backpack on his shoulder he wandered around the school corridors. He looked at the wall of glory. So much trophies. Chess team. School choir. Timberwolves. Cheerleaders.<p>

Cheerleaders.

Look who's the queen bee.

_Some people just can't give up their humanity._ He shook his head.

He found the door leading to teachers' room.

There must be something in that teacher's documents. A vengeful student, maybe? He thumbed through the papers. There was nothing interesting. So, murder without a motive? How stupid that is? Only vampires kill for pure pleasure.

Right.

He shut the door quietly and headed to an exit. Kol went round the corner and bumped into-

"Caroline."

"You here?" She pouted. "Have you decided to continue your education?" She added suspiciously.

"Surprise, surprise." He smiled tentatively. Oh God, he just wanted to run away from her and this place. He neither had willingness nor time for a friendly chat.

Caroline turn around confused as he rushed past her and disappeared behind the exit.

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><p>The same brilliant idea as Kol's ocurred to Klaus. <em>Go straight to the source.<em> He was walking through school parking lot, observing the place. High school and its noisy hormone-driven teenagers. And teachers keeping secrets. Look at Alaric Saltzman, he thought, the guy is more twisted than the freakiest freek among geeks.

"Not you, not here." Kol grumbled at the sight of his brother. "Do you seduce teenagers now? Lowering our standards, are we?"

"Shut up, you yourself could be the best example of high school prep." Klaus snapped.

"So, teachers then?"

"Why, older girls are your territory or something?"

They stared at each other for a moment, a glare fighting other glare.

Then Klaus sighed.

"I'm doing it, too."

Kol gaped at him.

"Banging teachers?"

"No, you creep! Investigating the murders."

"Whoa, chill. Just kidding." Kol laughed."So, wanna exchange information on the way home?" He grinned.

* * *

><p>All they managed to establish was that the killer must have been supernatural, because it stank like something Klaus had never smelled before. They also noticed one thing that had escaped their attention; all the victims had blonde hair and blue eyes. They all died in -or near- the woods. All beheaded. Somebody out there was a bigger creep than all the Originals put together. And that was quite an achievement.<p>

They were walking slowly around the town, not bothering to go straight home. It was getting dark and the Originals felt like having a few drinks. Good taste in alcohol was the one of very few things they had in common. They sat at the bar and compelled a bartender to get them some whiskey.

Their brotherly bond always tightened after some sips of good old Jack Daniels.

For Klaus, Kol always looked like a mini-Elijah, which was also extremely funny, because Elijah and Kol were as different as chalk and cheese. Kol was a nasty, malicious, cruel guy with no compassion. Elijah, on the other hand, was an honorable man... to some extent, at least.

For Kol, Klaus was always a complex prick, what meant basically a prick with a God-complex, a superiority complex, a persecution complex, etc. And some manic episodes, of course. Do not forget about bi-polar personality disorder, too.

They were always fighting. It was their guilty pleasure.

But Klaus and Kol had never argued about one thing - women. They appeared to have totally different types (which shouldn't seem surprising, really).

"So..." Kol started, downing his tenth shot of whiskey and waving at the bartender to pour him another drink. "How is your forbidden romance going?"

"I'd say lying in ruins rather than going."

"I see."

They both raised their glasses and swallowed another large gulp of alcohol.

* * *

><p>By the time they gathered enough strength to get up and stagger out of the Grill, the night had fallen and all they were seeing was black. But, oh boy! Did they have a blast! If they had drunk one glass more, they would be crawling on the ground. They were laughing. Hard. Not thinking clearly, they just lurched ahead. Maybe it was whiskey to blame, but the both didn't remember the last time they had so much fun together. It felt almost like... really having a brother. They were walking home in a typical, drunken half-embrace, singing.<p>

Yes, _singing_.

Kol often scoffed at the contemporary music but he listened to it anyway.

"_When I walk in the spot, this is what I see!_" Kol slurred. "_Everybody stops and staring at me! I got passion in my pants_ (he buckled his hips to prove a point) _and I ain't afraid to show it!_" Kol grinned from ear to ear.

"_I'm sexy and I know it!_" He wiggled his eyebrow.

Klaus slapped his face with a free hand. _Please, I don't know the guy._

Suddenly, Kol fell silent. Klaus' gaze fell at the direction his brother was looking and they both hid themselves behind a bush.

Caroline was stomping through the woods, probably going back home. But what was she doing in there? She wasn't at the Grill, otherwise they would have noticed her.

They gave each other conspiratorial looks _(after her, Watson!)_ and followed her silently home.

* * *

><p>Caroline shut the door and went upstairs, frustrated. She didn't find anything useful in the woods. Not a trace, not a clue. She desperately wanted to solve the puzzle and catch that degenerate who was killing people in the neighborhood.<p>

She threw her clothes on the floor leaving only her underwear on, and went straight to her bathroom to take a shower. She reeked of bushes and turf.

The Originals were skulking on the roof, behind the window to her bedroom.

When she stripped, Klaus gulped. His eyes grew wide. He didn't notice that Kol also seemed to be stuck in a daze. _Get a look at that body!_

If somebody put them now in a cartoon movie, they would be gaping with their mouth down on their feet, and their tongues hanging out. Two drooling dogs.

They heard the bathroom door creak, and they waited in solemn silence.

Then something flashed before their eyes.

They saw window open.

They felt like falling down and hitting a hard, _very_ _hard_ ground.

Caroline's head wrapped up in a towel stuck out of the window.

"Perverts!"


	4. Head to head

**A/N: **Okay my dear Readers, things are heating up in Mystic Falls! The killer arrives, and I hope it's a BIG surprise (today you get the first part of it). If not... then you outsmarted me! ;)

I'm so grateful for your reviews I can't stop writing. Yeah. And I'm dying to know your opinions on how the situation develops in this chapter, so let me hear ya!

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**Head to head**

She was tapping her bare foot on the floor.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

"So?" She was quietly raging inside.

Klaus and Kol were sitting on her bed like two scorned boys, heads down, nervously fidgeting with their fingers. They were sending each other angry looks meaning something between _'I told you so'_ and _'I will kill you later if she doesn't kill us now.'_

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

The tapping was driving Kol crazy. Her pink pajamas as well. And her hair tied in two braids. He hated this '_cute_ Caroline'. How old was she to wear this pink trash? Seventeen? He gritted his teeth.

Klaus' gaze fell on the photos at her desk.

She and her father. _How long has it been?_ A month or so. But it felt like a year. Klaus admired Caroline's courage and persistence (or rather stubbornness), and now he knew where she got those traits from. Bill Forbes, as Klaus heard, was the first in Mystic Falls to reject the opportunity of transition, all because of his principles.

Another photo: she and Tyler, before that stupid homecoming dance, smiling, looking at each other, _touching_. Lovebirds, damn it.

_No more Mr. Nice Guy,_ he reminded himself.

_Who's nice, gains twice, be nice, be nice, be nice_, Kol repeated his newest memo. He squeezed his eyes for a second, took an unnecessary breath, and then started to speak.

"We were observing you." Whiskey helps you to spill the beans.

"Oh, I figured out that one when I saw you drooling behind my window." She huffed.

"No, we were following you from the woods."

"Great!" She threw her arms in the air in an exasperated manner.

"You're a suspect, Caroline." Kol said, looking right into her eyes, and Klaus hid his face in both hands. _Good cop, bad cop? Oh, this will be good_.

She froze.

"Excuse me?"

"You're suspected of beheading those women."

"Says who?" Caroline felt like in a crazy movie with no rational plot.

"We."

"Kol." Klaus snapped.

"I thought we have joined forces, brother." Kol spat.

"Wait a minute." Caroline shook her head. _"You_ are _my_ suspects. Not the other way round."

Now it was their time for looking totally confused.

"I mean, Klaus, what were you doing in the woods that night when..." She hesitated. That night when we almost kissed? Yes, but the most vital fact was that a girl was murdered then. Right.

Kol shot Klaus a glare.

"And you, Kol, what have you been doing today in Mystic High?"

Klaus merely looked back at his younger brother.

"We were playing Holmes and Watson." Klaus hiccuped. _Whiskey, my dear friend, do not fail me_, he pled.

"So, just for your information, I was playing Miss Marple." Caroline crossed her arms. That's why they were continuously meeting in weird places.

The brothers in her room seemed ashamed, she felt awkward as well.

That awkward silence.

"Caroline?" Kol asked.

"What?" she snapped out of her short-time limbo.

_Your pajamas are ugly_, Kol grimaced, but put on a nice smile.

"Pink suits you."

* * *

><p>They all went on a patrol the following night, after deciding about teaming up in the face of danger. The woods were enveloped in a thick fog. Instead of all being black and painted with darkness, the landscape reminded of a wild fairy tale forest.<p>

Caroline could almost feel like a lost princess, but what kind of prince did she have on her side?

Prince Not-So-Charming: the younger brother who could charm you away with one wink, but also he would rip your head off without a blink. Although he seemed to be placid right now, she knew it was just an act. She was too smart to be fooled by his fake benevolence.

The Beast: the older brother who simply ignored her for the most of the time since their unfortunate encounter against a tree. A monster, a beast, a killing machine, a Satan's spawn. Also, an artist who used to dedicate his free time to painting horses. And her, apparently. Well, he grew somewhat cold towards her lately, but Caroline couldn't care less.

_Maybe_ she felt a tad disappointed.

But only a bit.

She felt only a tiny little speck of regret.

That's how the monster's attention works. Easy come, easy go. Anyways, that bridge had been burnt long time ago... In fact, it had never been built.

She suddenly found herself so relieved that she didn't have Elena's Syndrome aka Brothers-are-figthing-over-me-syndrome. Nah, what a nonsense!

Still, a tension between Caroline and Klaus could be sensed even in the wood that night. Just ask Kol. The sparks between them could provide enough electricity to maintain a small power station, he could swear.

"So, are we forming now something that could be called a Scooby Gang? Who's the dog then?" Kol asked, half-serious. He still did have appetite for destruction, but that particular moment seemed a bad one to provoke chaos. He was in for some fun but no-one wanted to cooperate.

Caroline just pouted as in saying, _no_ _comment_.

Klaus didn't want to distract himself from searching the woods, his eyes scanning ever inch of green that surrounded them.

The night was passing uneventfully. That was a real choker for them all. No dead body meant good news, clearly, but no progress meant more time spent together, which distressed Caroline more than her being dateless for the prom.

* * *

><p>It was almost 4 am when they decided to retreat. Caroline insisted that she was a big girl, strong enough to go back home on her own, but the brothers just escorted her to the porch in silence.<p>

Just when they turned around ready to head to their mansion, something rustled in the bushes next to Caroline's house.

"What was that?" She shuddered and felt shivers going down her spine. Something was lurking in the night around her house, her safe haven.

All of a sudden, a black shadow flashed among the trees, and Klaus rushed after him. He tried to catch the monster but to no avail. The creature managed to escape the hybrid's velocity and reflexes. Almost like the earth swallowed it.

Klaus came from inside the woods all in minor scratches, his black jacket and dark jeans torn in a few places, but all in all, he was in one piece.

"One thing is sure, it stinks far more than Kol rotting in a coffin." He deadpanned.

"I hope I will make you do the same one day." Kol snapped back.

Caroline didn't really listen to their bickering because she was thinking about her mother. She had a night shift which required a lot of paper work at the office. Her daughter hoped Liz would be secure at the office and would return in the morning safe and sound.

The Originals saw Caroline's quiet anxiety and both knew what to do.

"We'll stay over."

"What?" She looked at them stunned.

"We are staying for the night at your house." Klaus said flatly.

"I can handle it, whatever it is." She defended herself with dignity.

"No, you can't. And you won't." Kol said. "You're a blonde girl with blue eyes, exactly our murderer's type. Maybe you're next on the list. It's the best opportunity to catch him."

"So I'm just a bait?" Caroline sounded hurt.

"Yes." Klaus nodded, not looking at her. "If I remember well, you're good at it."

* * *

><p>They were trying to sleep, but none of them could sleep a wink. They were all on heir backs, lying on Caroline's bed. All three of them staring blankly at the ceiling. Sometimes Klaus' sight would escape and turn to the blonde between him and his brother, but soon enough it would be back at his point in the ceiling. Kol wondered if he could burn a hole through the roof just by staring at it. He also threw a sidelong glance at Caroline once or twice. She, on the other side, didn't dare to look at any of the vampires on both her sides. They all looked alike resting on the mattress - hands entwined in front of their chests and their feet were crossed.<p>

Klaus was contemplating his chronic lack of backbone when it came to Caroline. He always surrendered to her light, he softened, he let his weaknesses come to surface. It had to stop, he told himself, otherwise he'd be destroyed, he'd perish because of a mere vampire _rookie_.

Kol's eye wandered towards Caroline's body. She was pretty, he admitted. No wonder Klaus felt attracted to her. But it had always taken more than just a nice pair of boobs to impress his hybrid brother, therefore Kol set his mind on discovering her other charms. He might hate his brother for the most of their time spent together, but Kol knew that Klaus was very violent by nature, and if a girl could pacify him to _that_ degree, Kol needed to know how she did it.

Curiosity killed the cat, you would say, but Kol, as being undead, didn't care much about what was killing cats.

Caroline wondered about two vampires on each of her sides. Although her back was killing her, she made all the effort possible not to turn on her left or right. Unless, of course, she wanted to lie face to face with either Kol or Klaus.

Awkwardness tended to fill their everyday humdrum more and more often.

She closed her eyes and concentrated on Tyler. Her boyfriend hadn't shown any signs of life since that bloody ball thrown by Esther.

Tyler left, leaving a terrible mess behind. The worst part was, the mess was left in Caroline's head.

How long could she feed her hope by looking at the only picture they had together, and by reading the very few messages from him she had in her phone's memory.

_How long you can delude yourself?_

Caroline was in the middle of her internal battle when she heard a loud crash resounding downstairs. Three vampires got to their feet in less than a second and dashed to the kitchen.

On their way they heard a shrill scream.

''Mom!'' Caroline cried.

They immediately reached the place and stopped short when they saw the scene going on there.

Caroline's mother was standing in the furthest corner of the room, holding a big butcher's knife. When the Originals and Caroline saw the monster, all of them gasped. In front of them, there was a man, if you can call so a creature that is undead, but not a vampire. Stinking, half-rotting, with a greenish shade to its body.

It was _impossible,_ Klaus thought.

He had heard of zombies, but only in the deep South, where voodoo was still cultivated. He remembered a day in the 1830s when he'd met one of the most popular voodoo queens of Louisiana. She told him she despised and detested vampires - yet unfortunately she needed them to perform the darkest type of magic.

The very ritual of turning somebody into a zombie was a secret passed from generation to generation, therefore every voodoo priest or priestess had been sworn to secrecy. Under threat of death.

_But_ w_hat the hell was a zombie doing in Virginia?_

''Oh my-!'' They heard Caroline yell. She drew back and leaned against a wall.

Klaus and Kol took a quick, closer look at the creature. Although somewhat deformed, it still looked familiar.

Caroline recognized him right away.


	5. Cooler heads prevail

**A/N: **Wow, you guys are AMAZING. I received so much positive response to my stories that now I could die happy. I won't, but -hell yeah!- I could:D

Here we go with the last, yes, *sniff* the last chapter, and my shipper heart is breaking because I truly loved writing this story.

Wait, captain! Do I see a sequel on the horizon? Maybe. Wanna one? Let me know, the matter is still open.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**Cooler heads prevail**

Caroline was standing in utter shock. Tears rolled down her cheek. It was such a heartbreaking view that her mother shivered and also started to cry.

"D-Daddy?" Whisper escaped Caroline's lips.

The monster was staring at her with his eyes dull, absent, hazy.

"He's not your father anymore, Caroline." Klaus said.

She took a step forward but he grabbed her wrist. She yanked her hand to free herself - his grip only tightened.

"What are you doing?" She hissed.

"You are not approaching him. He's a zombie now."

Bill, or rather what was left of him, growled. He seemed blinded by the lights in the kitchen, so Kol didn't hesitate.

The kitchen was so small that the monster didn't have place to run away.

While Caroline was fighting Klaus holding her, Kol got to Liz and seized the butcher's knife she was holding in her right hand.

"Wait!" Caroline cried. "Don't!" Hot tears flushed down her cheeks. Klaus was holding her by the waist now to make sure she wouldn't escape. Caroline was struggling like a fly in spider's web. He only held her even firmer.

She saw her father attack Kol.

The younger Original dodged him.

Bill launched himself at his opponent, Kol ducked zombie's unsteady blow.

Caroline was crying so hard her eyes were burning. Uncontrollable sobs were slipping out out her mouth.

"Please, don't!" She yelled and shrieked hysterically, "Dad! Oh my God, Daddy!"

Klaus felt so guilty for hurting her, but he knew there was no other way. The consequences of a zombie bite were unknown even to him. He couldn't let Caroline get hurt more than she'd been before.

Then Kol took a swing.

Caroline turned around and hid her head in Klaus' arms. Now her crying turned into a fit of hysterics. _No, please, no, no, no_, she was repeating in a frenzy, her tears mixed with black mascara leaving a large, wet black smudge on his shirt.

Kol's arm fell down at monster's neck and all they heard was a loud, hollow roar.

And then, a sound of something sharp cutting through tissue.

And the head hit the floor.

"Congratulations," bewildered Kol panted, putting the knife back on a table. His eyes, slightly hazed and off, were wandering absently around the room. "You've just been dramatically slaughtered."

* * *

><p>Two days passed with Caroline locked up in her room.<p>

She was either crying or sleeping, and she didn't want to see anyone. Especially not the Mikaelson brothers.

She had seen her father pass away once. Now she did it twice. There was nobody close to comfort her since none of her friends knew what had happened. Nobody knew. Her mother made sure the press got just a statement that the murderer was caught and transferred to a prison in other state. Strangely enough, Kol didn't want the media to know that he was the one that "caught" the killer. He said he didn't want any attention, especially from horny teenagers or housewives._ (Well, it must be one of the signs of forthcoming Apocalypse, Klaus said about Kol. There was no other explanation for this loony behavior of his.)_

Caroline knew it was the right thing to do, yet she couldn't forgive Kol for killing her father. For letting him die, again.

They had been also affected by Caroline's trauma.

Klaus had felt her pain running through his body that night. He felt sorry for her, even more than when she was dying after Tyler's bite.

Kol grew strangely distant over those days. He remained silent for most of the time, he didn't watch tv, just sat down, staring blankly into space. Klaus thought that whatever seemed to revive his brother's spirits lately, now was turned off again. Probably he shut it off at Caroline's house and it just stayed that way ever since.

"She told me once that she'd let her father go with no regrets. She was very proud of it. Now it all fell apart. That's why she doesn't want to see us, Kol."

"Did you let our father go with no regrets, too?" Kol asked. He surprised his brother immensely. Klaus never expected Kol to ask about their father. Never.

"We didn't part our ways at peace, if that's what you have in mind."

Kol nodded. "Good."

* * *

><p>She needed answers but wasn't ready to get them. <em>Such a coward I am<em>, she scoffed.

During another night of her seclusion she found a letter under her pillow. Caroline was 100% sure that this Tooth Fairy that had left it had fair curly hair and piercing blue eyes. And was a male Original hybrid.

_Dear Caroline,_

_I know that you do not want to see me, that is why I have written this letter._

_I have answers you probably need to be able to find some peace of mind. The research I have done revealed that your father fell victim to a ritual that he unknowingly performed himself. I checked the dates and everything became clear. _

_Dying on a full moon night, with vampire's blood in your body, and not going through complete transition resurrects you as a zombie on the next full moon. Because there was no voodoo priest to control him, your father went on the blind rampage. I can only suspect that he killed all those blondes because he was looking for the only person he vaguely remembered, meaning you. Still, he wasn't truly alive, posed a threat to the town and to you as well, for nobody knows yet what a zombie bite can do to a vampire. __Zombies are mindless killing machines and we did what was there to be done._

_Although you do not believe me, I am truly sorry I let you suffer like this. _

_Nevertheless, I hope you will not bear a grudge against me and my brother forever._

_Yours,_

_Klaus _

Caroline sighed. It was enough unbelievable to happen in Mystic Falls. If you are wise and want to stay alive, you should leave this doomed place.

She couldn't suppress a small, almost imperceptible smile that she cracked when she thought about how old-fashioned Klaus was sometimes. Those letters. She took her phone and typed a short message, then clicked _send_.

* * *

><p><em>Thank you for your honesty,<em>

_Caroline._

* * *

><p>The following night she heard somebody knocking at her house door. Who the hell was disturbing her peace and quiet? Caroline looked down at herself.<p>

Pink pajamas? Checked.

Messy hair? Checked.

No make-up? Checked.

Whoever was coming to pay her a visit, would reconsider after seeing her. She looked scary enough to compete with Medusa in a beauty contest. Caroline loved this surprise tactics.

She opened the door vigorously and then almost shut them back. Almost, because somebody's foot effectively blocked the door.

"Please. Go away." She muttered.

"I'm here to talk." Klaus said seriously, his head lowered, his eyes drilled into her. In a leather jacket, black t-shirt and dark jeans he looked like a modern prince of darkness. Even his mood seemed to match that attire.

"You want to talk, go to a shrink." She tried to shut the door one more time, but her uninvited guest pulled her out of the house. They were standing on her porch again, and all she could feel was _deja vu._

"I'm here to warn you.'' He said, studying her face. ''Nobody can know about the zombie ritual. It's a secret guarded by the most powerful voodoo priests ever. Don't breathe a word of it unless you want to die in a very painful way. Believe me."

Caroline nodded. "I understand."

"And burn the letter I sent you. It's evidence."

"Already did. No worries."

"Did you?'' He sighed. ''Why are you pushing me away, Caroline?" Klaus asked, shaking his head with resignation. She could hear pain in his voice, but it was probably just frustration caused simply by the inability to get what he wanted. _Men. Go figure._

"Because you have no heart, Klaus. And I'm not stupid enough to give you mine." Caroline whispered, staring intensely at the floor. Wood. Interesting.

He took a step towards her, and she took one back, her body now leaning against the front door.

"I won't give you the explanation, like,_ 'I'm so sorry, you're a great, sweet guy, but there's no chemistry between us._" Caroline started.

"I won't say that, because we all know you're _not_ a great, sweet guy. And there _is_ chemistry-" She gulped. Her nervousness rose from level 1 ('I can handle it') to level 8 ('Uh-oh').

"And, I mean, you know, there may be a little, little, tiny... _something_... uh, between us-"

Klaus raised his eyebrows.

_What is it with this neurotic blonde and her never ending verbal diarrhea? _

"-but, but... I can't. Sorry." She seemed emotionally exhausted at that moment.

Klaus didn't say a word, just observed her, his eyes burning with some feelings Caroline was afraid to name aloud.

He took another step forward, placed his hands on both sides of Caroline's head, trapping her between the door and his strong body.

He leaned down and buried his face in her hair.

He inhaled her scent deeply, and Caroline thought she was going out of her mind for, like, a thousandth time that month. _I'm a pink ball of ugliness this evening, why doesn't it work? _She yelled inside her head to no one in particular.

His nose was now buried in the crook of her neck.

She felt her legs mellow.

Klaus' breath caressed her collar bone.

Caroline squeezed her eyes shut.

_Nervousness level 10 ('Heaven help me')._

His nose touched her nose.

His lips were an inch away from hers. _Deja vu, anyone?_

Their foreheads were resting against each other.

She was feeling his whole body tense. Caroline on the other hand was melting.

With all her courage and restraint, with her eyes still closed, with her hormones raging and tormenting her, she whispered,

"Pl-Please. Just go."

* * *

><p>"She still doesn't want to see us, I assume?" Kol asked, sipping his bloody whiskey.<p>

"No." Klaus sat on the other side of the sofa and poured himself a drink.

This was the way they used to spend the last few days. Drinking alcohol or blood (or both) in the privacy of their own home.

"Well, I don't blame her." The younger Original said, nodding knowingly to himself.

"Why did you do that? The dirty job, I mean. I could have done it myself. She hates me anyway." The hybrid asked, looking down at the golden liquor.

"This is exactly the reason."

Klaus looked confused.

"I don't think I follow your line of thought. Did you do it for _me_?"

''I did it for _her_.'' Kol looked him straight in the eyes.

"And now she hates us both equally.'' He continued. ''You should thank me I didn't choose the easier way. I could have, but you saved me when I was daggered at the Grill once. So, yeah, I did it partially for you, too. We have equal scores now. It ensures fair play."

"What play, brother?" Klaus frowned.

"Let's say I prefer blondes now." Kol raised from his place on the sofa and started to walk towards the stairs.

Klaus' eyes widened in shock.

_Was his brother telling him that...?_

"You're not telling me that-"

''Why not?''

''You must be kidding me, Kol.'' Klaus growled. _Little son of a-_

"Game on, brother."

And with those words, Kol left.

**The End**


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